Pristina/Belgrade - Less than a year after declaring independence from Serbia, Kosovo Wednesday created its own security force, drawing a sharp protest from Belgrade and deepening unease among Kosovo's minority Serbs.

The Kosovo Security Force (KSF) is to replace the Kosovo Protection Corps, which was set up in September 1999 as an unarmed, disaster-relief organization by a UN administration.

The KSF is to comprise 2,500 lightly armed permanent and 800 reserve troops and should reflect the ethnic composition of the population. A Kosovo police force was set up earlier and it operates along an international police presence.

Marseille, France - French swimming star Laure Manaudou has decided to sit out the 2009 season and not compete at the world championships in Rome later this year.

In a statement issued on Wednesday through her lawyer, the 2004 Olympic 400 metre freestyle champion said she no longer has the will to swim competitively.

"Laure currently feels totally saturated and this has deprived her of the pleasure and desire to swim.

New York - US automotive giant General Motors said

New Delhi, Jan. 21 : Bajaj Auto Limited launched a new 135 cc sports-commuter motorcycle ''Bajaj XCD 135 DTS-Si'' on Wednesday here.

Powered with a 10.5 bhp (horse power) engine and many other attractive features, the XCD 135 DTS-Si is available in two variants of 125cc and 135cc with price tag ranging between Rs 40,000 to 46,000.

Managing Director (MD) of the Bajaj Auto Limited Rajiv Bajaj at the launch function said that the new offering from the company wouldl attract the buyers because of its styling and world- class features.

Copenhagen - Danish voters still narrowly favour the introduction of Europe's joint currency, the euro, but are in no hurry to vote in a referendum, two surveys showed Wednesday.

The results were published on the eve of a parliamentary hearing on the euro.

A survey commissioned by banking group Danske Bank suggested that 41.4 per cent of voters wanted to introduce the euro while 39.8 per cent were against replacing the krone.

About one in five were undecided, according to the survey based on telephone interviews with 1,060 voters.

Riga - Latvian President Valdis Zatlers refused to bow to calls that he should launch the process of dissolving the unpopular national parliament Wednesday, instead offering a compromise plan to both government and opposition parties in the troubled Baltic state.

Zatlers has been caught in a constitutional pincer since January 14 when, in the wake of riots in the capital Riga, he gave the coalition government of Ivars Godmanis until March 31 to become more responsive to the people or face the prospect of dissolution.